Ballot of the 20th student council election. Candidate Tsai is listed as the one of the right. Other two are representing other Tamkang campuses.

Tamkang University (淡江大學) student council will be holding their student council meeting mid-September. Among the names on the ballot for student council president is a student from Mainland China, candidate Tsai Bo Yi (蔡博藝). This sparked a huge debate about whether having a Mainland Chinese candidate should be allowed. Student leader of the Sunflower Movement, Chen Wei-Ting (陳為廷), stood up and voiced his support for candidate Tsai. Chen’s support for Tsai was met by disappointment of Yoshi (commonly know as 妖西, full name 劉敬文), president of Formoshock and fellow student activist. Yoshi believes that having someone with the nationality of People’s Republic of China lead a Taiwanese school will set a bad example for the real world.

Tsai is no stranger to student activism; Since coming to Taiwan in 2011, she has experienced the 2012 elections. Seeing the DaPu incident where thousands of people stood together to protect one stranger’s home, she was set to join in on activism. From fighting the media monster to standing vigil to the victims of the TianAnMen Incident to the 323 attack on the Executive Yuan, she’s been there all the way. Her story and involvement was recorded in a documentary (click here)

Chen supports Tsai on these credentials and states that no matter what one’s nationality may be, a love for Taiwan and the want to fight for democracy and freedom are the most important.

Yoshi states that Tsai is not the problem but it is the idea of letting a Mainland Chinese represent Taiwanese that is.

Tsai has stated that she was shocked to see the ballot requiring listing her nationality, and states that nationality is not important.

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